It’s All In The Name

There are books, songs, and games relating to the “name.” The names of characters in novels are very important to keeping readers enthralled, turning the pages to find out what will happen next to Mr. X or Ms. Y. A great novel must have a powerful story line, excellent writing, fascinating scenes, but it must also have incredible characters. Characters who readers can relate to, have a passion for, that come alive with the words an author uses to describe them. An important element in developing a passion for a character surprisingly can be the character’s name. As they say, “it’s all in the name.” Well, maybe not all, but it really helps if a character’s name captivates readers.

Catchy

If a name resonates with readers, if it becomes embedded in their memory they will be more likely to buy the next Cotton Malone or Alex Cross , or Oliver Stone, or Lucas Davenport novel. Steve Berry, James Patterson, David Baldacci, and John Sanford created these memorable characters. The name game plays a role in keeping fans attached to a series, waiting in excitement for the next opportunity to relate to their favorite character.

Macho

A great character doesn’t need a macho name. Cotton, Alex, Oliver, and Lucas don’t create visual images of big macho men like wrestlers Hurricane, Hacksaw, Primo, or Undertaker. But they are names readers can relate to and fit the complex, interesting characters the authors have developed. How many readers can relate to Lisbeth Salander, Stieg Larsson’s character in THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, THE GIRL WHO PLAYED WITH FIRE, and THE GIRL WHO KICKED THE HORNET’S NEST? A character name must be memorable, captivating, and make an impression on readers.

D. L. Wilson is on the board of the International Thriller Writers and the author of UNHOLY GRAIL, a national bestselling thriller translated into 8 languages. His latest bio-terrorism thriller, SIROCCO, is getting rave reviews. Visit his website at http://www.dlwilsonbooks.com.

Don't Give Up Your Day Job

The life of an author is a complex world. Getting through the publishing door required a lot more time, commitment, and dedication than I could ever have anticipated. I was fortunate to have spent a number of years learning the basics before giving up my day job. Well, actually I didn’t give up my day job to dedicate myself to the writing life. I waited until I retired from my regular career as a fashion executive and university professor to become a full-time dedicated writer.

            During the years of learning about the writing life, I attended many conferences and workshops and joined writing associations, which gave me access to successful authors. When I got to know a few of them to the point where they were comfortable sharing the inside scoop as to how they got to be full-time authors, they provide similar advice. Don’t give up your day job until you have a very successful, established brand in the publishing world. One of the best thriller authors, Steve Berry, shares on his web site that his “road to publishing was long and arduous, spanning 12 years and 85 rejections over 5 separate manuscripts.” He waited until he had published 10 bestselling novels before he gave up his day job as an attorney.

            If you want to write, do it because you enjoy writing. A writer must gain satisfaction by engaging hours upon hours in a thought provoking process, living in your own dream world, and having the finished product of the words on the page provide a sense of accomplishment. If you are fortunate to become published, the rewards are having others enjoy reading your book, compliments from readers, and if you are lucky, you might receive some financial gain. But don’t forget that books are works of art and art is in the eye of the beholder. Write because writing is your passion.
Website: http://www.dlwilsonbooks.com/

Author Promotion

To continue my quest to promote my first novel, UNHOLY GRAIL, and D.L. Wilson as a must-read author, I decided to hire a standard publicity firm and a Web-based media firm. Today’s blog will focus on the standard media promotional venues of print, radio, and TV.

A search of private standard media publicists (promoters who seek to obtain media publicity for a client) resulted in finding costs ranging from $1,000 to $3,000 per month for 3-4 month campaigns. This can take a large bite out of your budget. In speaking with authors who have used private publicists, I found the key to making a decision on who to hire is based on solid RESEARCH. Hiring a private publicity firm is not cheap and you want to get the most for your hard earned dollars. Research the results each candidate has achieved with authors who have similar credentials to yours. It’s not easy to measure the results of publicity campaigns. The measure is not simply positive versus negative, since that has a lot to do with the impact of your book upon reviewers. I have to constantly remind myself that writing is an art and falls into the classic, “You can’t satisfy all the people all the time,” category. As writers we hope to find a sufficient number of readers who love our writing style to support our career. A good measurement is the % of responses the publicists deliver from the number of reviewers they are promising to send ARCs (Advance Review Copies) and press releases to. If the publicist refuses to provide statistics, be very cautious! In making your decision, don’t forget to stay within your budget!

Once you’ve found that perfect publicist it’s time to work with them to create press materials, which include: book release announcement, press release, bio/author background, sample questions, and feature story release. During the development of an effective press release, I got my first lesson in why it’s important to use a professional publicist. I was taken by surprise at the “non-timid” approach to promoting UNHOLY GRAIL. I must admit, I wouldn’t have had the grit, pluck, or boldness to create the “hard sell” that came from the publicist.



UNHOLY GRAIL (Review article for bestselling thriller now in 8 languages.)
by D.L. Wilson

RISING LITERARY STAR’S NOVEL EXPLORES VOID BETWEEN FACT AND FICTION IN WIDELY-HERALDED RELIGIOUS THRILLER

“In UNHOLY GRAIL D.L. Wilson has created a tale rich with intrigue that grips the imagination. A must read for anyone who loves a riveting story.”
--NY Times bestselling author Clive Cussler.

The secret Gospel of James, Jesus’ brother, has just been found and reveals that descendants of Christ exist to this very day. But now, the guardians of this hidden Gospel are mysteriously dying. The quest to protect Christianity and its secrets has been taken on by one man who has made it his mission to eliminate anyone who could expose the secrets of the Holy Grail.

Welcome to Unholy Grail, (Berkley, April 2007) a religious thriller akin to The DaVinci Code on intellectual steroids.

While Unholy Grail could be compared to The DaVinci Code, author D.L. Wilson has taken the “religious thriller” genre to new heights with twists, expertly exploring the often explosive void between fact and fiction.
Acting on a mysterious caller who offers him a secret Gospel, Theology professor, Fr. Joseph Romano, is catapulted into a centuries-old conspiracy that threatens the very sanctity of the church. His mission to protect Christianity’s innocence is punctuated by a maze of intrigue, betrayal, and murder.

Moving beyond “thriller” stage, the multi-layered Unholy Grail delves into how historical perceptions, personal events, conspiracy theories, and faith shape how we choose to live our lives.

Wilson combined his extensive international travels, in-depth religious studies, and creativity to write his latest riveting novel. These travels introduced him to diverse cultures and religious beliefs, exotic locales, and foreign governments. He conducted extensive research including interviews with priests, ministers, theologians and professors. The plot for the book draws heavily on generally accepted facts, legends, myths, and conspiracy theories.

“Many things in life are not black and white, true or false, right or wrong. Much of what we accept as fact is based upon theories, claims, beliefs, and the level of science at the time,” says Wilson.
“One misquote, misinterpretation, or misread can confuse fact and fiction. What is accepted as fact today doesn’t always stand the test of time. I wrote Unholy Grail to explore the gray areas between fact and fiction.”

“A fast-paced and well-crafted thriller in the DaVinci Code vein that teems with as much erudition as it does surprise.”
Andrew Gross, New York Times bestselling coauthor of Lifeguard and Judge & Jury

________________________________________________________________________
D.L. Wilson spent his university years on a track scholarship as a Florida Gator. His degree in Industrial and Systems Engineering from the University of Florida where he also studied law established the foundation for his career in the fashion apparel industry. Wilson worked his way through the ranks of engineering and management to become president, CEO, and Managing Director of US and international companies, consultant to industries and governments in 32 countries, and a university professor.

Wilson’s extensive international travel as an executive and consultant spawned his fascination with world cultures, exotic locales, diverse religious beliefs, and foreign governments. He found the perfect outlet for his interests in the captivating world of fiction. His initial efforts in the international thriller genre earned him first place awards for fiction at the Pennwriters’ and Mid-Atlantic Writers’ Conferences.

Wilson and his wife Miki, a property management executive as well as Wilson’s muse and research trip partner, divide their time between Bucks County, PA and Baltimore County, MD.
Website: http://www.dlwilsonbooks.com/.